5 Things We Definitely Know About The New iPhone (Plus What We Think We Know)

In addition to crippling heat and sexy beachwear, each summer ushers in the pre-next-iPhone hype cycle and accompanying rumors of what new and amazing things the upcoming iteration of the device will be able to do. 2012 has been no different so far and thanks to copious amounts of information from parts manufacturers, it looks like Apple fans (and haters) will have much to talk about this fall.

Certainties

1. The New iPhone Will Run iOS6. This was obvious, but Apple’s next mobile platform boasts important features such as total Facebook integration, improved Siri support, no more Google maps, and better cloud sharing. Good things all around.

2. There Will Be A Bigger Screen. Finally. Finally. Finally. In an age where 4″ screens became the standard (thanks to eternal enemy, Android), the iPhone has been stubbornly clinging to the smaller 3.5″ ones, until now. It’s looking like the next gen device will indeed be larger, and as a bonus, even thinner than before as well. No word on the potential weight or battery life yet though.

3. It Will Have A New USB Connector. Yep, that 30 pin connector that’s become one of the iconic symbols of the digital age is going the way of the dinosaurs in a few weeks. While nobody’s exactly sure what the reason is for the switch, I’m guessing it’s some combination of wanting to make it sleeker (and get some extra dough selling adapters to everyone that has the old one) and faster (USB 3.0 compatible perhaps).

4. You Can Browse The Web Using LTE. Another long, long overdue feature. If the next iPhone isn’t LTE capable, there is absolutely no reason to buy one, no matter how many zillions of pixels they can cram onto their screens. LTE is the standard of 2012 and if Apple doesn’t upgrade, they’ll miss the boat completely.

5. Actually, It Won’t Be Called The iPhone 5. Because, it’s technically the sixth generation iPhone, not the fifth. To avoid confusion, Apple’s been slowly eliminating the number association with the product (think “The New iPad”), so this thing will probably be called simply, “The New iPhone.”

Probables

1. The Battery Will Be Larger. Battery life has been a concern for smartphones since day one, but look for Apple to bolster the battery with the increased space thanks to the smaller USB connector. This doesn’t necessarily translate to more battery life because the phone could use more juice than before, but only that the batter will physically be bigger to make up for it.

2. Near Field Communication Capability. This could be coupled with iOS6’s Passbook feature to use for payment processing in places like supermarkets, department stores, or even public transportation. It’s a new technology but it could prove to be quite nifty if it makes its way onto the new iPhone.

3. A Completely New Design. Apple’s sold you guys the same phone (with different innards) twice now and if they go for the trifecta it could be a disaster. People need to see a tangible difference in the body style to justify the pricey upgrade, not just beefier guts. What’s the show-off value if the current generation looks identical to the one from two years ago?

2. True Multitasking. Another feature that’s almost guaranteed not to be included. Theoretically it would leech precious battery life and from what we’ve seen from iOS6, it’s not written into the operating system. Maybe next year.

Apple over everything. Latest to latest, no Samsung will surpass an iPhone in the total scheme of things. Galaxies boast processors/etc., but still be having second-grade aesthetics. They’re just not as sleek and clean-looking (fonts, icons, etc.) as iPhones are.

I think I got dumber by reading this post. If you really have a problem with the fonts, icons, etc…then just change it. That is the beauty of Android…its customizable. As of now, the S3 has more power, more memory, a better camera, a more customizable OS, expandable memory, multi-tasking features, a removable battery, and as soon as JellyBean is released in the next month or so, it will have the “smoothness” which many Apple Stans bitch about (Though honestly, I have one and its pretty fucking smooth). The other great part about buying an Android, no matter when I enter the market, I will be getting the latest and greatest phone. When you purchase an iPhone, you’re getting a phone that is already outdated unless you buy it as soon as it comes out.

The other great part about buying an Android, no matter when I enter the market, I will be getting the latest and greatest phone. When you purchase an iPhone, you’re getting a phone that is already outdated unless you buy it as soon as it comes out.
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That’s almost equiv to saying “a new car isn’t new once you take it off the lot.” lol

I tried two diff Droids. After a time, they just lagged and lost their “new” just like PCs do. Wipe it, start clean again and it still ends up going back to a bad lag. Just too frustrating for me.

I want to buy a phone and it work consistently for a while (not big on switching at all). Right now, the 4S does that for me. I’ll wait and see how the 5/”New” plays out but I’m in no rush to change.

That’s not what I was trying to say. What I was getting at is this: Because a new iPhone only comes out about once a year, say in September, if I were to buy it in June, the latest model is the same one that came out in September. There are no changes to it, no upgraded features, its the same exact phone. With an Android, because others can make them, if I enter the market in June, or July, or August, I can purchase the latest and greatest Android phone. One that will be different with upgraded features than the one that came out in September almost a year ago.

Also with the phone getting slow. I never understood that. I’m a pretty big computer geek so maybe its because of that, but whether its my PC (Which runs Linux and W7) or my Android, neither of them get to that point. My old Galaxy S worked the same as it did day one and I had it for almost two years before I upgraded to the S3. I don’t load my computer or my phone with useless shit apps, I keep things on my SD card, and I regularly perform maintenance tasks on it. I visit horrible shady websites on my PC and I’ve never gotten a virus because I have a steady AV program (Microsoft Security Essentials) which runs every night. I personally blame the problems people have with PCs and Androids on the user. I understand that’s one of the perks of an i product (that its hard to fuck it up), but I’d rather take a more powerful, cheaper, more customizable product rather than the what I believe to be crap that is any i product.

I personally blame the problems people have with PCs and Androids on the user. . I understand that’s one of the perks of an i product (that its hard to fuck it up),
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that’s probably the thing. Most people aren’t as well versed as you are. I’m not a genius, but i’m not dumb either lol. I handled my Droids w/extreme care (no bs apps, no frills, etc etc)…they still fucked up lol.

I’m not necessarily fiending for a new design. I can’t even imagine what they could even do to topple the phone now. It’s already revolutionized the market with it’s original design but unless it can shoot out an interactive hologram I just don’t know what they could do.

I’ve been using an iPhone since 08 and my rule of thumb is “always let the 1st batch go out to the guinea pigs and I’ll catch it when they get the bugs fixed and lower the price after the 1st few months”. So I probably won’t have one well into 2013.

Can honestly say, from my experiences, none of them work as well or as smoothly as the iPhone. No lags, no crashes, just no crap. From a practical stand, they do the job better than most phones. The extras w/all the apps and other capabilities are cool as well. hell, I just sat and watched 30 For 30 on Netflix while waiting to pick up my kid from school.

the shit’s so good I’m considering getting a Mac lol. Fuck yeah I bite the Apple and I see how sweet it is.

But what if you don’t need your phone to do all that? Those are great options to have, but I’d wager that the everyday user doesn’t need all that.

And all that stuff you mentioned are things that you can’t do fresh out the box. Which brings me back to ease of use and simplicity, which I think the majority of iPhone users value more than their device being able to serve as a mobile desktop computer.

Besides watching a Mayweather fight, I’ve never even had a need for the list you posted. But with all the hack programs in the jailbroken iphones I don’t think there’s anything you can think of that somebody hasn’t created an avenue to.

And as far as the Mayweather thing goes, though I’ve never tried to watch a fight but I have streamed NFL playoffs from Justin.tv on my phone. I can use Installous like a torrent site. I’m straight w/ mines.

i move aorund a lil bit and dont really like tablets and or laptops that much but am gonna get that nexxus becasue i got a coupon and its already cheap as fuck.

so….basically what yall are saying is iphone is the new blackberry?

as i mentioned before female and yuppie phones….serious tech heads are gonna always roll out for android and the ppl that just need the functions of a basic phone spoon fed to them are gonna get apple. apples fun and got games but the droid phone litterally challenges you to alter it and change it and make it do shit it wasnt intended to do.

apple wants to leak the technology out to its consumers real slow and in a profitable way but android encourages developers and shit to push the envelope as far as what phones can do.

i just cant vibe with apples whole buisness model…i def respect the way they revolutionized the music and phone culture as we know it but they been kinda week the past few years.

Any phone you get is customizable. Any. I’ve had 4 iPhones over 4 years. The 1st one I had was probably my most customized phone. There was nothing that I wanted or needed to do that I felt limited by (after jailbroken which took me 10 minutes.) and this was in 2008. Developers put shit on there constantly. One of my homeboy develops iOS apps.

These days I only search for programs I actually need. I rarely play games and it works smooth. I need to know what it is that the Droid phone can do that I need to do? At the end of the day this shits are all about preference. I don’t get caught up in the apple fanboy or the Droid vs Apple shit. I just command it to do what I need and keep it moving.

Anyway, I’m talking to anyone who buys into this crap and aimlessly follows the latest hype, be it an iPhone or something else. You and I both know plenty of people buy this stuff and can’t even afford it. There are better ways to spend your cash.

I just switched from an iPhone 4 to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus w/ Jellybean. JB is dumb smooth compared to previous versions of Android that I used when I had the HTC G2. The screen size and thinness is real nice, too. Overall I like it.

That said, I can’t wait to get the next iPhone. I’m already immersed in the Apple ecosystem (MBP, AppleTV, iPad and wife’s 4s), so not having a device that integrates flawlessly is bugging me. Also, the Android keyboard SUCKS. Joint is mad inaccurate compared to the iPhone, IMO. Even with the extra screen real estate on the GNex, I find myself fixing typos way more than I ever did with the iPhone.

My other main gripe is that Android doesn’t come with basic ass apps like Notes. I have to download some sketchy 3rd party app to make a grocery list…definitely not user friendly, IMO. Customizable? Yes. But that doesn’t always translate into a smooth user experience.

Both Android and iOS offer good and bad qualities. For me and my tastes/needs from a phone, Apple works best. I don’t have time to scour the Play Store for those top notch apps and I def don’t have time to root and install custom ROMs and all that shit. Give me a device that works smoothly out the box and will work smoothly all the time, and I’m good. I’ve had more Android phones than iPhones and I can say for me, iPhones do that better.

I will say that JB is hands down the best Android OS ever. I wasn’t super excited about going back to Android, but JB made that switch much easier. There are a lot of nice features that it offers, many of which I wish iOS offered out the box.

The smaller screen and no LTE in previous iPhones have made these iOS/Android battles in the past moot; if those issues are indeed gone I’ll probably check out this new one. I am pleased with this Galaxy Nexus (other than the lack of a default Notes app).

Even if i like it, it won’t be bought for a while. I got unlimited data on Verizon, so I’d either have to buy it outright of deal with these new fucked up data plans.

The problem with Iphones is that it just feels so limited. its like theyre saying to their users “we know better than you so we’ll simplify everything so you dont have to overthink and get confused. were also are going to limit what you can download and do because you dont need that”.
While on androids, you can customize everything to your liking, download anything off the internet, flash, countless shit. And all this “iphone never crash,android has lagging issues” is bullshit. Ya’ll complain too much.If you learn enough you can configure your phone so that doesnt happen. Android just has more possibilities

From what I gather, some are stating that the iPhones simplicity out of the box is a major draw/reason to purchase… but is not a phones main purpose to make calls (and in 2012, text)? I could see many wishing to streamline the features of other devices into one – i.e. music and camera – but other than apps (as I made point of in the most recent other Apple iPhone post), I do not see the aforementioned specific reason of logic for the iPhone then. My personal definition of simplicity is a phone that can make calls, receive and send texts (SMS/MMS), preferably take pictures (does not have to be outstanding MPs) and video (you never know when you need to film something for proof)… and have the ability to send and receive email. While nice, even social media access is not a necessity (to me – I know that it is for others, but if you are not using it for business in some way, it definitely is not necessary).

I will say this… I have too little patience these days to learn how to do things. I once was one of those people who would take the time to learn everything about a device, its software, etc., and actually implement it. These days, I just want to read reviews (whether it be an app or software – I want to know that it is safe, not buggy, etc.), install it, and go. Whereas I used to want to know how everything worked, again (and for specific reasons), these days… I just want something that works as quickly as possible out of the box… with the least setup time.

Sounds like the iPhone to me – even though I do not care to own one.

But I still see the iPhone’s main draw having to do with exclusivity. You want a certain game, app (i.e. perfect example? Instagram until just recently)… if you are a kid, you want people to notice you… you want in on a “secret circle?” Cop an iPhone or get left out. I do not buy into the praise as much as the psychology of the human mind that craves acceptance. Many live an average life but are now surrounded by the visuals of the rich and famous. If a phone can draw the same attention from the average person the same way a 200K-300K whip would amongst the people I deal with, hey, at least most get themselves a piece of that feeling, right?

Most people do not buy a Rolls, Bentley, Maserati, Lambo, Ferrari (or even Rovers, Beamers, and Benz’s on the lower end) for their superiority… they buy them to floss. They buy them for the emblems. They buy them for people to notice they have them/drive them. You know how many pics I see on Instagram of both men and women (oddly enough, the majority are women) taking pictures of their steering wheels so that you can see the car’s emblem – I mean, their new nail color #NPOTD? They do not do it with Ford, Chevy, Honda, Nissan vehicles, etc., etc., etc. But they sure do it when they push a Benz, Audi, or BMW (and the sad thing is, they honestly cannot truly afford them – same with expensive clothes, handbags, and heels – but hey, those pics they get to upload to Instagram are all worth it).

It is more about status for most – the exclusivity – the “you know how much ‘iPaid’ once you see the Apple logo on my phone” feeling.

But that is simply how I see it. And I have to buy into it (as I said in the last post) just because some of what I need… Apple has a monopoly on.

Never that (not for me at least). But I do need an iPad – but simply because I now cannot obtain some of the things that would simplify my day and are necessary without an Apple product (things that go beyond a computer). I will not rule out the iPhone. If you can afford something and it is heralded as good, the least you can do is try it out if it fits your needs (and more).

I just still know too many people who buy an iPhone because it is an iPhone… not because it may be the best smartphone out there. When you get my age and you are still doing that… it is pretty sad (it is also why we are a nation in debt). Kids/teens shall forever get a pass.

I completely agree. I never got notion of buying things just to show people that you have it. Never been my style. I do though have a profound appreciation for stability. One of the things that keep staying w/ the apple brand is that aside from breaking certain devices myself, I never have an issue w/ anything. I can’t even tell you what Apple customer support is like.

From a techguy point of view i’m semi-interested to see what apple shows off hardware wise cause we’ve already seen the software and no real magic there just alot of catching up to android. I’m not saying Samsung is great or anything I’m talking software. This new iPhone will be a good move for apple but not changing the look is only gonna attract apple fanboys people want “zazz”. In all honesty they’re gonna make bank so it really doesn’t matter and unless they really throw a Lytros camera in that thing I’m good with my Jellybean Galaxy Nexus.

Widgets and new multitasking changes aren’t going to happen with this release. those are OS changes, and the fact they weren’t touted at the OS 6 keynote pretty much puts that to rest.

The overall design isn’t going to be a HUGE departure from whats currently out with the 4S, just thinner with a bigger screen. Some detractors will say thats a problem, i say thats refining the solution (call it apple fan boyism if you like).

I really liked my android, but that was coming off the Blackberry Storm, the phone that should have an insurance clause about users throwing it against brick walls in frustration. I’m sure android has come a long way since my Droid Incredible 1. But there was just too much bullshit involved with it. It did get slow, Apps crashed a lot, and I sold phones so I knew what to do to keep it running right. Plus the 5mp camera the iPhone had was running circles around the Incredible’s 8mp camera. Definitely think the 4s has been miles above it, and I don’t have to press App killer 40 times a day. But if Android has something I like better than iPhone when I can upgrade, I’ll get an android. Even though I sell Macs and iPads. As for people paying 800$ just cause a new phone came out… the fuck is wrong with yall?